Pope Francis renews prayer for Venezuela

Members of the Venezuelan community in Italy wave flags and hold balloons as they attend the pope’s Sunday Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square.

16/07/2017

(Vatican Radio) The Pope during his Angelus in St Peter’s Square on Sunday once again addressed his thoughts to Venezuela. Greeting the Venezuelan Catholic community in Italy he renewed his prayer for what he called, this “beloved country”. Pope Francis’ prayer comes on a crucial day for Venezuela: this Sunday marks the popular referendum promoted by the opposition to say no to the constituent assembly proposed by President Maduro. The country’s bishops support the initiative, which is not recognized by the authorities, to counteract – they say – the attempt to establish a Marxist military dictatorship. Meanwhile, as the political crisis deepens, the humanitarian crisis worsens. Italian Caritas has published a report entitled which shows that over 11,000 [Venezuelan] children died in 2016 for lack of medicines and maternal mortality rose by almost 70%. Faced with the food, health and safety crisis, the Italian Bishops’ Conference has also offered to contribute 500,000 euros. [In protests against the Venezuelan government since April, more than 100 have been murdered, hundreds wounded, and hundreds arrested (two murdered, four wounded, and dozens arrested during the unofficial referendum on Sunday July 16th).]

One comment on “Pope Francis renews prayer for Venezuela”

Every time Francis comes forward with a new prayer request disaster befalls the intentions. Most famously was the war in the Ukraine. Almost no one recalls Francis praying for the Ukraine because that was the same infamous day his two ‘peace doves’ were attacked. The result of Francis’ prayers for Ukraine was that the president decided to dissolve the parliament and thing hurriedly got worse.

Francis has been asked about the Vatican’s diplomacy concerning Venezuela in two interviews. In the first both sides criticized the Vatican’s meddling. Francis explained that everyone has to come out a winner except for the Vatican in Venezuela. What!? How about acting like a pope and condemning the un-Catholic behaviors that are happening for starters? In the second interview Francis says that the reason for failure is that the parties involved can’t agree on anything. Isn’t this the same chaotic way that Francis runs his bureaucracy? Hey Francis, what happened to that ‘unity in diversity’ bunk? It doesn’t work in the real world does it?

Here’s what the situation looks like: the dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, says that the bishops don’t want to dialogue; Francis tells the bishops he has their back; the opposition is upset with the Vatican for dillydallying around; behind close doors Francis attempts to help Venezuela with refinancing their debts; and very quietly, Francis says he is concerned about the situation. And it goes on-and-on-and-on around in a merry-go-round of insanity spiraling ever so more out of control with each revolution. It is becoming increasingly apparent to the world and to Venezuelans that Francis has no clue about leadership and that he is not about to publicly castigate a fellow revolutionary.

Francis has been called a Marxist and a communist many times before and says this label doesn’t offend him. After all he believes that “communists…think like Christians”. The one thing which which says all you need to know about Francis and Venezuela is that according to Nicolás Maduro, God is on Francis’ side.

“We know that our commander (Chavez) has gone to heaven and is face to face with Christ. He must have made such an impression for a South American to be chosen Pope.”

“A new hand arrived and Christ said, ‘Well, the time for South America has come.’ At any moment now (Chavez) will call for a constituent assembly in Heaven to change the Church, so that the people, the true people of Christ will govern the world.”
Nicolás Maduro at the 10th International Book Fair of Venezuela, 13 March 2013